Visitors don't have to walk far to find wearables at Computex, the big IT trade show taking place in Taipei this week. Dozens of companies from Taiwan and China are showcasing first-generation products -- a big change from last year when they got almost no attention.

The reason for this new attention is clear: Bullish industry projections put the wearables market at tens of millions of devices over the next few years. The market for smart wristbands was 1.6 million devices in the second half of 2013, and will rise to 45 million in 2017, according to Canalys.

If the analysts are correct, that could mean big business for the companies that eventually become leaders, so the race is on for a foothold before the market gets too crowded. But if this year's show indicates anything, it's that innovation is sorely lacking. The products on display were all variants of smartwatches and fitness trackers, although with a few twists on what's already available.

Acer's smart wristband, the Liquid Leap, connects via Bluetooth to an Android phone to bring phone notifications and some basic audio controls to its tiny screen. At its heart, the Liquid Leap is a fitness tracker and includes a built-in pedometer and measurement of distance traveled and calories burned. It's due out in the third quarter but only with a companion smartphone, the Liquid Jade. Acer said it will consider selling the Leap on a stand-alone basis if there is enough interest.

The S101 smartwatch from China's Galapad is one of the few on show that doesn't run Google's Android. It's currently running a proprietary operating system with basic features like a calculator, calendar access, messaging and phone controls. The 1.6-inch screen has a 240 by 240 pixel resolution, and the company says it will launch a new model with Google's new Android Wear operating system when it becomes available.

Taiwan-based manufacturer Guidercare is launching a health-care wearable for the elderly. The Angel Smart GD-800 looks like other smartwatches, but it's also meant to monitor the user's health and location. The data is uploaded remotely to a caregiver's smartphone via an app, letting them monitor the user's health. The device will be priced below $300 and launch worldwide later this year through Guidercare's partners. It runs Android and has 3G connectivity to make phone calls, or alert a caregiver during emergencies.